What is a brute force attack?

What is a brute force attack?

A brute force attack is a hacking method that uses trial and error to crack passwords, login credentials, and encryption keys. The attacker systematically checks all possible combinations until the correct one is found.

Types of brute force attacks

• Simple brute force: Trying every possible combination
• Dictionary attack: Using a list of common passwords and variations
• Credential stuffing: Using leaked username/password pairs from other breaches
• Reverse brute force: Starting with a known password and trying it against many usernames

Defending against brute force attacks

Defenses include rate limiting login attempts, implementing account lockout policies, using CAPTCHA challenges, requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA), and enforcing strong password policies.